And you thought speed limits were enforced in the UK?
Discussion
This post is a summary of my experiences owning a high-performance vehicle in what is probably the most anti-speed regime in the world: Victoria, Australia. Some of the content is anecdotal.
Enforcement in Victoria
----------------------------------------------------------------
Two years ago I thought speed enforcement in the UK was excessive, but it is easy to avoid assuming that trafpol will ignore mild speeding in "safe" conditions. My UK licence remains clean.
Since then living in Victoria I have come to learn just how harshly the limit can be applied:
* 3km/h tolerance (prosecution threshold). UK 10%+3
* Mandatory (!) ban & likely dangerous charges at 24km/h (~15mph) over the limit.
* Laser readings valid when 5 km away!
* Near total compliance amongst the driving population makes speeding of only 5km/h stand out
* Saturation police presence, zero discretion. I mean really, zero. An encounter with a police officer will ALWAYS result in prosecution for some offence.
* Hidden mobile speed cameras, using a variety of vehicles behind trees etc.
* Cameras shoot oncoming traffic meaning you have to see them before you pass them.
* Fixed cameras have no "feet" on the road and are non-standard in design, plus hidden
* Oncoming police vehicles may get a speed reading when more than 1km distant, making avoidance difficult
* Police vehicles cruise well above the normal speed limit thus approach from behind at speed
But the most frightening part is that ANYONE may be prosecuted at any time for "defective vehicle" and "anti-hoon" offences. This means that drawing attention to yourself in any way is likely to result in a ticket. For example, you may be prosecuted for:
* "Excessive display of acceleration" ie. accelerating "unnecessarily" quickly, in the opinion of the officer.
* Racing on the street (nb matching the speed of a flash-looking vehicle out of the lights is "racing"
* "Causing unnecessary noise" ie using the 3-8K RPM range
* Driving a defective vehicle
Some of the offences sound reasonable - I don't think people should be racing on the street. I am particularly concerned about people driving "defective" vehicles, but this law is enforced only against high-performance vehicles. And the police themselves will admit that it is possible to "defect" a brand new generic sedan straight out of the showroom. The roads are littered with fallen retreads and cars held together with cable ties drive with impunity. On the other hand "targeted" vehicles may be towed for 3 or more "defects" such as (taken from a quick trawl of recent posts):
- less than 10cm clearance on an uneven surface (this can get ANY car)
- "nearly empty" washer fluid
- wires not secured every 15cm
- worn pedal rubber
- numberplate "not visible" when using factory holder + position (!)
- numberplate lights "not bright enough"
- numberplate "dirty"
- more than 6 clicks possible on the handbrake
- tyres not rated for more than 140 km/h when national limit 110 km/h
Driving a defective vehicle is accompanied by 3 points just like serious speeding offences, so 4 hits and you're gone.
One "offence" I have committed was "excessive exhaust noise" which is not measured by any equipment but only by the ear of the trafpol. When tested my vehicle was found to be under the limit at 86db (90 limit) but the fine still stands!
Many of the offences are subjective in this manner. This is terrifying, because you cannot hide behind the letter of an objective or absolute law. The only recourse is to avoid police attention wherever possible.
Modifications are also regularly the subject of defects. Arbitrary laws such as "only 1 intake modification" and "no fuelling mods" are very frustrating to motor enthusiasts. Everyone is very limited by what is possible with both classic and modern cars: Carby changes, turbo changes, fuel injection upgrades etc - all are banned. The use of aftermarket parts (e.g. oil filters, spark plugs) in home service (indeed the whole notion of home servicing) is quasi-legal. Further, the police are authorised to dismantle your vehicle at the roadside to uncover suspected hidden modifications and in two cases that I know of have refused to make tools available for the owner to rebuild the car and continue the journey, making towing essential.
Driving in Victoria
---------------------------------------------------
There was an accident on the freeway on my way to work this morning. There is an accident nearly EVERY morning on the 25km section of freeway I cover. For the last 4 weeks I have kept a tally of the number of accidents on this small piece of road:
Trips: 12
Accidents (aftermath) encountered: 9
Speed limit: 100 km/h (62mph)
Actual speed: 70-103 km/h
Notes: Good weather conditions, 3/4 lane freeway with graded jcts. and hard shoulder on both inside and outside of road.
Why are there so many accidents on such a slow, (and in theory) safe road? I mean 62 mph motorway conditions FFS.
I believe the answer may be found in the attitudes and actions of the drivers rather than the speed they drive at.
- Lane discipline has all but disappeared.
- It may take several km for one car to overtake another.
- Speed differentials between lanes are typically 0.0 .. 2.0 km/h
- Undertaking is probably more common than overtaking.
- Cars will sit in any lane at any speed.
- Extreme tailgating is almost universal (we're talking 1m separation here)
- HGV and police drivers also regularly tailgate
- Few drivers use headlights in heavy rain, fog or other poor light conditions
- Aggressive & wilfully obstructive manoeuvres are commonplace e.g. accelerating harshly to cut off a driver changing lanes. This is my biggest issue: When considering a manoeuvre, you are more often than not disadvantaged by indicating because the extra warning will cause other drivers to take erratic and hasty action to prevent your achievement
Most drivers operate in a sort of zombie funk, cruising along paying scant attention to the road. Often they will drift across lanes or just move into the sides of other vehicles that have been alongside for several minutes, as if they have forgotten that the parallel vehicle exists. A regular sight is someone using a mobile phone, looking out of the side window when 1-2m from the vehicle in front at 100 km/h. Moving road blocks of parallel vehicles in all lanes are a daily sight. The formation may last for miles without breaking. Many drivers watch TV while driving (you can see the screen when following). Many drivers (including HGVs) "wander" within their lane, so that the wheels hit the rumble strips or cross into the adjacent lane. Again and again cars will attempt crazy stunts such as swerving across 4 lanes to make an exit, reversing up the slipway and stopping on the road. Often indicators are left flashing for minutes, in nonsensical directions. This bad behaviour is far more common than on British roads.
It is worth noting that all of the bad behaviour mentioned above is NOT targeted or prosecuted by police. I have seen police vehicles (marked and unmarked) ignore outrageously dangerous driving, and I have witnessed several police vehicles tailgating. Only last week, a marked police vehicle approached me from behind at a closing speed of 20-30 km/h before braking sharply and ending up just 2m from my rear bumper. They proceeded to weave left and right for a few seconds at that distance before accelerating past without indicating. Since the lanes alongside me were clear on their approach, the whole episode was clearly an attempt to intimidate or incite.
Effect on my driving skills
-----------------------------
My time in Victoria has severely retarded my own driving ability. It is rare that I get the opportunity to visit a racetrack or fast windy country road and everywhere else I rigidly comply with speed limits. As a result, I have largely lost the ability to judge corner entry speeds and require a couple of hours practice to regain something of this skill. I have no idea what my stopping distance is anymore - I never have the opportunity to brake sharply or practice such techniques.
When back in the UK I noticed that something has changed in my brain - something to do with low-level visual processing such that I can no longer cope safely with 80 mph motorway driving. What used to be effortless accounting for all vehicles around me now requires intense concentration to track cars between mirrors. I put this down to the low speed differentials I now experience. Effectively, I can't subconsciously keep track of surrounding vehicles. This ability has been almost totally lost due to lack of use.
On the other hand I am superb at maintaining my speed with extraordinary precision. I can drive within a tolerance of 1km/h (0.6 mph) for sustained periods (I have a digital speedo). I habitually glance at the speedo every couple of seconds, more frequently in built-up areas where I will be accelerating or moving through different speed limits.
Speed limits in Victoria are generally low compared to UK limits, 50kmh (31mph) in residential areas but 40 km/h (24mph) in many shopping/nightlife areas. 40 km/h zones are rapidly expanding and there are now several main roads in my suburb with 4 lanes and 24 mph speed limits, with no buildings alongside, no junctions or turnings without lights, and good visibility. In contrast there are many 60 km/h streets with parked cars, single lane each way, lots of pedestrians etc.
Thus to a large extent the speed limits are NOT a good indicator of safe travelling speed, yet largely determine actual vehicle speeds. Very few vehicles travel slower than the speed limit even when it is dangerous to go that fast. Universally, the speed limits are treated as a value that should be matched. Social pressure and rigid enforcement of nonsensical limits have largely ended my practice of judging a "safe speed" for the conditions, and replaced it with a habit of travelling at the speed limit regardless of other factors.
The government regularly runs ad campaigns on TV drumming it into people that precise compliance with the speed limit is the last word in road safety, and emphasizing (or rather, insinuating) that so long as you are not even 1 km/h over the limit, you are not responsible for accidents. The media play along - every news story regarding a motor accident mentions vehicle speeds in comparison to the limit as one of the key factors.
The future for the UK
----------------------------
Unless something changes, I believe this is the direction UK roads are headed. The reality is increased danger, reduced individual responsibility and absolute compliance. I didn't believe total compliance was possible - but it is! And it's the most terrible situation you could imagine.
regards
dave
Enforcement in Victoria
----------------------------------------------------------------
Two years ago I thought speed enforcement in the UK was excessive, but it is easy to avoid assuming that trafpol will ignore mild speeding in "safe" conditions. My UK licence remains clean.
Since then living in Victoria I have come to learn just how harshly the limit can be applied:
* 3km/h tolerance (prosecution threshold). UK 10%+3
* Mandatory (!) ban & likely dangerous charges at 24km/h (~15mph) over the limit.
* Laser readings valid when 5 km away!
* Near total compliance amongst the driving population makes speeding of only 5km/h stand out
* Saturation police presence, zero discretion. I mean really, zero. An encounter with a police officer will ALWAYS result in prosecution for some offence.
* Hidden mobile speed cameras, using a variety of vehicles behind trees etc.
* Cameras shoot oncoming traffic meaning you have to see them before you pass them.
* Fixed cameras have no "feet" on the road and are non-standard in design, plus hidden
* Oncoming police vehicles may get a speed reading when more than 1km distant, making avoidance difficult
* Police vehicles cruise well above the normal speed limit thus approach from behind at speed
But the most frightening part is that ANYONE may be prosecuted at any time for "defective vehicle" and "anti-hoon" offences. This means that drawing attention to yourself in any way is likely to result in a ticket. For example, you may be prosecuted for:
* "Excessive display of acceleration" ie. accelerating "unnecessarily" quickly, in the opinion of the officer.
* Racing on the street (nb matching the speed of a flash-looking vehicle out of the lights is "racing"
* "Causing unnecessary noise" ie using the 3-8K RPM range
* Driving a defective vehicle
Some of the offences sound reasonable - I don't think people should be racing on the street. I am particularly concerned about people driving "defective" vehicles, but this law is enforced only against high-performance vehicles. And the police themselves will admit that it is possible to "defect" a brand new generic sedan straight out of the showroom. The roads are littered with fallen retreads and cars held together with cable ties drive with impunity. On the other hand "targeted" vehicles may be towed for 3 or more "defects" such as (taken from a quick trawl of recent posts):
- less than 10cm clearance on an uneven surface (this can get ANY car)
- "nearly empty" washer fluid
- wires not secured every 15cm
- worn pedal rubber
- numberplate "not visible" when using factory holder + position (!)
- numberplate lights "not bright enough"
- numberplate "dirty"
- more than 6 clicks possible on the handbrake
- tyres not rated for more than 140 km/h when national limit 110 km/h
Driving a defective vehicle is accompanied by 3 points just like serious speeding offences, so 4 hits and you're gone.
One "offence" I have committed was "excessive exhaust noise" which is not measured by any equipment but only by the ear of the trafpol. When tested my vehicle was found to be under the limit at 86db (90 limit) but the fine still stands!
Many of the offences are subjective in this manner. This is terrifying, because you cannot hide behind the letter of an objective or absolute law. The only recourse is to avoid police attention wherever possible.
Modifications are also regularly the subject of defects. Arbitrary laws such as "only 1 intake modification" and "no fuelling mods" are very frustrating to motor enthusiasts. Everyone is very limited by what is possible with both classic and modern cars: Carby changes, turbo changes, fuel injection upgrades etc - all are banned. The use of aftermarket parts (e.g. oil filters, spark plugs) in home service (indeed the whole notion of home servicing) is quasi-legal. Further, the police are authorised to dismantle your vehicle at the roadside to uncover suspected hidden modifications and in two cases that I know of have refused to make tools available for the owner to rebuild the car and continue the journey, making towing essential.
Driving in Victoria
---------------------------------------------------
There was an accident on the freeway on my way to work this morning. There is an accident nearly EVERY morning on the 25km section of freeway I cover. For the last 4 weeks I have kept a tally of the number of accidents on this small piece of road:
Trips: 12
Accidents (aftermath) encountered: 9
Speed limit: 100 km/h (62mph)
Actual speed: 70-103 km/h
Notes: Good weather conditions, 3/4 lane freeway with graded jcts. and hard shoulder on both inside and outside of road.
Why are there so many accidents on such a slow, (and in theory) safe road? I mean 62 mph motorway conditions FFS.
I believe the answer may be found in the attitudes and actions of the drivers rather than the speed they drive at.
- Lane discipline has all but disappeared.
- It may take several km for one car to overtake another.
- Speed differentials between lanes are typically 0.0 .. 2.0 km/h
- Undertaking is probably more common than overtaking.
- Cars will sit in any lane at any speed.
- Extreme tailgating is almost universal (we're talking 1m separation here)
- HGV and police drivers also regularly tailgate
- Few drivers use headlights in heavy rain, fog or other poor light conditions
- Aggressive & wilfully obstructive manoeuvres are commonplace e.g. accelerating harshly to cut off a driver changing lanes. This is my biggest issue: When considering a manoeuvre, you are more often than not disadvantaged by indicating because the extra warning will cause other drivers to take erratic and hasty action to prevent your achievement
Most drivers operate in a sort of zombie funk, cruising along paying scant attention to the road. Often they will drift across lanes or just move into the sides of other vehicles that have been alongside for several minutes, as if they have forgotten that the parallel vehicle exists. A regular sight is someone using a mobile phone, looking out of the side window when 1-2m from the vehicle in front at 100 km/h. Moving road blocks of parallel vehicles in all lanes are a daily sight. The formation may last for miles without breaking. Many drivers watch TV while driving (you can see the screen when following). Many drivers (including HGVs) "wander" within their lane, so that the wheels hit the rumble strips or cross into the adjacent lane. Again and again cars will attempt crazy stunts such as swerving across 4 lanes to make an exit, reversing up the slipway and stopping on the road. Often indicators are left flashing for minutes, in nonsensical directions. This bad behaviour is far more common than on British roads.
It is worth noting that all of the bad behaviour mentioned above is NOT targeted or prosecuted by police. I have seen police vehicles (marked and unmarked) ignore outrageously dangerous driving, and I have witnessed several police vehicles tailgating. Only last week, a marked police vehicle approached me from behind at a closing speed of 20-30 km/h before braking sharply and ending up just 2m from my rear bumper. They proceeded to weave left and right for a few seconds at that distance before accelerating past without indicating. Since the lanes alongside me were clear on their approach, the whole episode was clearly an attempt to intimidate or incite.
Effect on my driving skills
-----------------------------
My time in Victoria has severely retarded my own driving ability. It is rare that I get the opportunity to visit a racetrack or fast windy country road and everywhere else I rigidly comply with speed limits. As a result, I have largely lost the ability to judge corner entry speeds and require a couple of hours practice to regain something of this skill. I have no idea what my stopping distance is anymore - I never have the opportunity to brake sharply or practice such techniques.
When back in the UK I noticed that something has changed in my brain - something to do with low-level visual processing such that I can no longer cope safely with 80 mph motorway driving. What used to be effortless accounting for all vehicles around me now requires intense concentration to track cars between mirrors. I put this down to the low speed differentials I now experience. Effectively, I can't subconsciously keep track of surrounding vehicles. This ability has been almost totally lost due to lack of use.
On the other hand I am superb at maintaining my speed with extraordinary precision. I can drive within a tolerance of 1km/h (0.6 mph) for sustained periods (I have a digital speedo). I habitually glance at the speedo every couple of seconds, more frequently in built-up areas where I will be accelerating or moving through different speed limits.
Speed limits in Victoria are generally low compared to UK limits, 50kmh (31mph) in residential areas but 40 km/h (24mph) in many shopping/nightlife areas. 40 km/h zones are rapidly expanding and there are now several main roads in my suburb with 4 lanes and 24 mph speed limits, with no buildings alongside, no junctions or turnings without lights, and good visibility. In contrast there are many 60 km/h streets with parked cars, single lane each way, lots of pedestrians etc.
Thus to a large extent the speed limits are NOT a good indicator of safe travelling speed, yet largely determine actual vehicle speeds. Very few vehicles travel slower than the speed limit even when it is dangerous to go that fast. Universally, the speed limits are treated as a value that should be matched. Social pressure and rigid enforcement of nonsensical limits have largely ended my practice of judging a "safe speed" for the conditions, and replaced it with a habit of travelling at the speed limit regardless of other factors.
The government regularly runs ad campaigns on TV drumming it into people that precise compliance with the speed limit is the last word in road safety, and emphasizing (or rather, insinuating) that so long as you are not even 1 km/h over the limit, you are not responsible for accidents. The media play along - every news story regarding a motor accident mentions vehicle speeds in comparison to the limit as one of the key factors.
The future for the UK
----------------------------
Unless something changes, I believe this is the direction UK roads are headed. The reality is increased danger, reduced individual responsibility and absolute compliance. I didn't believe total compliance was possible - but it is! And it's the most terrible situation you could imagine.
regards
dave
Those who commented that in general Australians are more compliant: it's true. It's quite funny sometimes when no-one will cross the road despite no traffic until the green man comes on.
For myself, when I return to the UK I will be driving very cautiously and much slower than when I left. I suspect it will take me a few months to be able to drive quickly (70-80mph+) again. Certainly, I might go to an instructor, but I think I am very conscious of my deficiencies and can retrain myself to some extent. It's not really skills that can be taught, but only learnt and maintained through experience.
For everyone else: Due to the change in attitude and general de-skilling of the driving population in Vic, I don't think they could raise the speed limits in the short term, or reduce enforcement. It's too late: Drivers here cannot be trusted!
Thank God for Paul Smith & the SafeSpeed campaign! I only hope it's not too late.
regards
dave
For myself, when I return to the UK I will be driving very cautiously and much slower than when I left. I suspect it will take me a few months to be able to drive quickly (70-80mph+) again. Certainly, I might go to an instructor, but I think I am very conscious of my deficiencies and can retrain myself to some extent. It's not really skills that can be taught, but only learnt and maintained through experience.
For everyone else: Due to the change in attitude and general de-skilling of the driving population in Vic, I don't think they could raise the speed limits in the short term, or reduce enforcement. It's too late: Drivers here cannot be trusted!
Thank God for Paul Smith & the SafeSpeed campaign! I only hope it's not too late.
regards
dave
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